He used to manage Slough... but on Monday Brian McDermott will lead his Reading side out at Wembley in front of more than 80,000 fans.

McDermott has risen through Royals’ ranks in a footballing fairytale, fulfilling near enough every single backroom vacancy at the club on his way to the hot-seat.

As a player, he came agonisingly close to walking out on the hallowed turf with Arsenal during the late 70s and early 80s, but never quite made the squad as the Gunners reached the FA Cup final three years running.

“My favourite Wembley moment has to be when Alan Sunderland scored the winner for Arsenal against Manchester United in the 1979 FA Cup final,” reminisced McDermott.

“I was watching in the stands and we won that one 3-2. But the first time I went to Wembley was the year before that when we were beaten 1-0 in the FA Cup final by Ipswich Town.”